A transformative grant is helping HEARTS Therapeutic Riding Center broaden its reach and deepen its impact across South Jersey.
The Egg Harbor Township nonprofit has been awarded a Quality of Life grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, funding new adaptive equipment and expanded programming designed to serve individuals with a wide range of needs.
“We are a therapeutic riding center, and we provide equine-assisted services to individuals with emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioral challenges,” Stephanie Green, executive director of HEARTS, told Shore Local News.
With the help of a volunteer grant writer, the organization applied for funding to secure a SureHands Lift and Equicizers for its classroom, and received the full amount requested.
The funding has already made a tangible difference. The center recently installed a SureHands Lift, a specialized system that allows riders with limited mobility to safely mount a horse. The lift transfers riders directly from a wheelchair onto the horse, opening the program to individuals who may not be able to mount in traditional ways.
For many riders, that access is life changing. Participants gain physical benefits such as improved balance and coordination, along with emotional growth and increased confidence.
“Being able to control a 1,200-pound animal is such a boost of confidence,” Green said.
For riders who typically rely on wheelchairs, the experience offers a rare sense of independence and connection to the outdoors. The movement of the horse mimics natural walking patterns, while the open environment provides sensory stimulation and emotional relief.
In addition to the lift, the grant funded the purchase of Equicizers, wooden horse simulators mounted on springs that replicate the motion of a real horse. The equipment allows HEARTS to continue lessons indoors during bad weather, ensuring riders maintain their progress year round.
“This winter, it was a lifesaver, quite frankly,” Green said.
The center is currently training its horses and staff to work with the new lift, a careful process that ensures safety and comfort. Not all horses will be used with the equipment, but those selected will undergo specialized training to adapt to the movement of the lift and rider transfer process. HEARTS plans to begin offering lift-assisted riding during its summer session.
For Green, the impact of HEARTS’ work is best reflected in the stories of its riders. She recalled one young girl with autism who arrived for her first session overwhelmed and afraid, clinging to her father and hesitant to engage. With encouragement, she mounted the horse and began to relax.
“Daddy, I’m on a horse. Take a picture,” the girl said, smiling halfway through her first lap.
She continued in the program for more than a year, showing improvement both behaviorally and physically.
Beyond equipment, the grant is also funding a new parent and caregiver support group, an initiative designed to provide connection and relief for families.
“We just felt like this was a missed opportunity for us not to be able to support the parents and guardians of our participants,” Green said.
The program will offer quarterly gatherings where caregivers can connect and share experiences while participants engage in supervised activities. Families will also have opportunities to interact with the horses themselves, an experience staff say can be deeply calming and restorative.
As HEARTS continues to grow, the organization is also calling on the community for support. Volunteers are needed to serve as horse leaders, sidewalkers and administrative helpers, as well as to assist with maintaining the center’s 22-acre property. No horse experience is required, and training is provided.
With new tools, expanded programming and a continued focus on accessibility, HEARTS Therapeutic Riding Center is poised to reach even more individuals and change even more lives through the power of horses.
For more information on HEARTS Therapeutic Riding Center, visit their website at https://www.heartstrc.org/.
